Pope Francis has a polymicrobial respiratory tract infection. What is it and how serious is it?
The Pope has a complicated lung infection and will need more specific medication, according to the Vatican's officials.
After a bout of bronchitis got worse.
He's got a "polymicrobial respiratory tract infection", but they haven't given any more information on how bad it is or what changes will be made to his treatment.
Here's a rundown on the Pope's latest health update and what his treatment might entail.
What is a polymicrobial respiratory tract infection?
In essence, it means there's a combination of germs like bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites living in someone's lungs.
"Frequently, people will get a bronchitis or an airway infection and that can often set off a chain of multiple problems, including lung infections," said Dr Maor Sauler, who specialises in adult pulmonary and critical care medicine at Yale University in the States.
He said such issues were typical in older people whose immune systems might be less robust or had complicated health problems.
"It probably means he's got more than one bug in his lungs," Sauler said, explaining that the pope's doctors might have to tweak his treatment to make sure the antibiotics target all the different bugs.
How serious is this?
Given the Pope's past health issues – he had part of his right lung removed years ago and has had pneumonia before – it's concerning that he's been taken to hospital.
Dr Nick Hopkinson, the medical director of Asthma + Lung UK, said most healthy people would probably get over bronchitis pretty quickly.
But in people whose lungs are already buggered, "bacteria can come and set up shop in the airways… and you start to see infections which makes it harder to treat".
In people with lungs that have been weakened, they may need assistance with breathing, including oxygen therapy or chest physiotherapy to help them clear mucus building up in their lungs.
Still, Hopkinson said that getting the Pope on the right medication will help.
How long will this take?
That depends. Antibiotic treatments usually take anywhere from a few days to about two weeks.
Hopkinson said the Pope might be given various medications, including ones usually taken for asthma or chronic lung conditions like COPD, as well as physiotherapy to help keep his chest as clear as possible.
Are there any other things that doctors might be thinking about?
Pneumonia is a cause for concern.
"Despite the fact we can treat pneumonias with antibiotics, pneumonias are also a major cause of death," Sauler said.
He said antibiotics don't work on their own and a person's immune system is also vital in fighting off pneumonia, noting that the immune systems in older people aren't usually as robust.
What will medics be keeping an eye on next?
Sauler said the biggest thing to keep an eye out for in the coming days is any sign that the Pope's condition is deteriorating.
I'd be keen to ensure he's not deteriorating, despite the doctors doing their best. That's often a sign of a poor outlook, he said, and they'll likely reassess his condition in a few days to see if the medication is having the desired effect.
"I've got a positive outlook that he'll make a recovery with the right antibiotic".
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